


Forgiveness

by Wolfsbride



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-29 20:31:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3909637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfsbride/pseuds/Wolfsbride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A burden shared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgiveness

Humans have many strange sayings; one of which is wearing your heart on your sleeve. Cadet Chekov wears his emotions in this manner. Emotional and illogical as they are, humans do have some small skill at dissembling. But Cadet Chekov is young and has not yet learned how to school his features. I believe this is why he avoids me. I cannot allow it to continue. If we are to become what Ambassador Spock believes we can, we must be united. To this end I find myself standing outside the door of his quarters waiting for him to acknowledge me.

The door slides open and he appears before me. He is startled to see me, that much is obvious. I suppose he did not anticipate my coming in search of him. “May I enter?”

He pauses and then stands aside so that I might come in. I turn to face him and take a moment just to look.

“Commander?”

He is nervous and unsure and my silence is making it worse. He thinks I have come to judge him. I have not. Finally, I say the words it has taken me weeks to mean. “I do not blame you.”

He freezes and then pales. Turning away from me, he puts distance between us and stands alone in the middle of the room, shoulders hunched.

“I blame myself.”

His hand reaches out, trembling a little.

“If I could pluck two rapidly falling bodies out of midair, why not her!”

His hand clenches into a fist, and then falls to his side.

It is odd. In humans, emotions can be a source of great weakness, but also of great strength. It is illogical and yet it is so. The very thing that makes them vulnerable also gives them the ability to empathize. Chekov grieves for that which was lost, even as I do. It is… comforting.

“Pavel.” As I intended, the use of his first name makes him turn toward me. “My mother was very dear to me. She was warm and kind and loving. She was so very human. She would not wish for you to suffer so. I do not wish it. I forgive you. Please, forgive yourself.”

He stares at me for a long time and I let him. I have been trained to control my emotions but in this instance, I let myself go enough so that he may see the truth of my words. When he rubs the tears from his eyes and smiles tentatively at me, I know I am successful.

“Thank you, Commander.”

I nod and bid him goodnight.


End file.
